The Word 'Pretty'
by SugarcoatedstarsM31
Summary: Tanya/Tony fiction (felt like there wasn't enough of those) and with a twist of my own. Set after the events of all the movies. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Tony Toponi and Tanya Mousekewitz

"Hey cheez, what's up?" Tony Toponi dropped in on the unsuspecting Mousekewitz siblings who jumped up from their whispering in surprise. Fiefel put a huge smile on his face after seeing the older boy, hoping over to get an affectionate pat on the head.

"Where's your hat Philly?"

"Ah my hat!" The smaller light brown mouse patted the top of his head and ran to his room. Both Tanya and Tony laughed.

"So um Tony," he turned to face her, "what are you and Fievel doing today?" Swiping his hair to the side, Tony leaned against the door and crossed his arms as if deciding whether she was trustworthy or not.

"Eh just around...why?"

"Oh just wondering." Tanya fiddled with the hem of her skirt both disappointed that he wouldn't tell her and uncomfortable with the fact that they had nothing to discuss. An awkward silence filled the room and Tony briefly closed his eyes as if desperately waiting for Fievel to come back. Tanya bit her lip and shuffled her feet,_ why does Tony not like me?_

"Got it!" Fievel scrambled into view, oblivious to the awkward tension in the room. "Well Tony, let's go already!" He scrambled past the now bright eyed and grinning older boy before they both shut the door behind them. Tanya sighed from her corner and picked up the knitting Mama had wanted her to accomplish. Maybe, if she finished by the time they get back, she could listen to their stories.

"Tanya!" Mama's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Grab the basket! We need to get food for the week!"

"Yes Mama." She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she rushed to get the shopping basket she had helped Mama to weave and wondered if she could see Tony and Fievel while outside.

* * *

"So a friend of mine said that there was a way to get free cheese on this street." Both hands in his pockets, Tony lazily strutted while Fievel hopped along beside him struggling to make his small strides match Tony's.

"Free cheese!"

"Yeah Philly, but only for them in-the-know people, ya know?"

"I-I guess, so are you an in-the-know person Tony?"

"Me!? Nah, I'm flattered ya think so but no way." As if to emphasize how far he was from an in-the-know person, the black haired mouse crossed both arms repeatedly.

"Oh sorry, but where are we going today Tony?" The older mouse grinned and leaned down towards his younger companion, whispering into one of Fievels ears.

"I got some place we can check out, Bridget told about this-"

"Tony! Fievel!" Both mice looked up to see Tanya waving from a popcorn stand. She glanced back at her busy mother and then rushed over to say hi to the non-too excited boys.

"What are you guys doing at the market?" She asked as they rolled their eyes at each other.

"Nothin' Tillie." Tanya's heart jumped at her name said from _his_ mouth even as her chest sank at his rebuttal.

Fievel shrugged his shoulders at her as if saying just go away Tanya. She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not trying to butt in or anything and I don't plan on ruining your adventure by tagging along or telling so it's not like you have to treat me like that." She couldn't help but huff like a child, cross her arms and turn away only to have her movements arrested by a warm hand.

"Hey now Tillie we didn't mean nothing by it. We're just going to see Bridget that's all." The truth couldn't have dealt a bigger blow. Bridget, his girlfriend, a really nice girl. A pretty Irish mouse that Tanya always got along with, but for some reason it irked her that they were headed to the water tower.

"Oh okay, will we expect you for dinner...both of you?"

"Of course Tanya, Mama's making Matzah Ball soup again!" Fievel grinned at his older sister, having no way of knowing that she hadn't desired his answer.

"Ah no can do Tillie, I'll be at Bridget's tonight."

"I see," the slight disappointment in her voice didn't go unnoticed by the older boy and he couldn't help but feel strangely guilty about his answer. Fievel, however, was on another page entirely.

"What's Bridget making at her house that's better than Matzah Ball Soup?"

"Heh you'll know when you're older Philly." Tony affectionately pulled Fievel's hat down before glancing at the now bright red Tanya. She was looking at him in a new light and he blushed himself, realizing she had caught on to his reference. Quickly she ducked her face and scurried away, not before calling out a hasty good-bye.

"Tony, I still don't get it?" The pair began walking towards the water tower.

"Ah it's better if you don't Philly." Tony rubbed the back of his neck ruefully, "it really is nothing. It was just a way of me saying I don't know."

"Oh, okay. Let's hurry up then, we don't want Bridget to worry."

"Yeah Bridget..."

* * *

_Why am I so disappointed it's not like Tony and I are good friends, he doesn't even trust me anyway._ Tanya absentmindedly walked behind Mama holding her younger sister by the hand._ Plus, he's like 21 and I'm only 17 after all. Probably thinks of me as a kid like Fievel._

"Tanya, why're you unhappy?" Yasha at age 10 was surprisingly observant.

"Don't be silly Yasha, I'm just bored."

"Bored, huh, if you are so bored then why don't you take Yasha and the basket home while I grab the rest." Mama glared with both hands on her hips, Tnaya gave a nervous laugh.

"Haha y-yes Mama." She turned and tugged on Yasha's hand as they headed back to their home. When they were finally out of Mama's sight, that was when he popped out. A taller mouse with red hair, no older than Tony but better dressed.

"Do you need an escort home Miss?" He bowed slightly and Tanya blushed before stepping back in shock.

"I-I, well, thank you for your kind offer, but my house isn't far and I wouldn't like to trouble you."

"It would be no trouble at all if your house isn't too far and I would love to be of service to a beautiful mouse such as yourself and your younger sister." He winked at Yasha who giggled in response. Tanya bit her lip before agreeing.

"I appreciate your kindness sir, our house is just down this way." She pointed down the street and he held out his arms for both girls. Yasha dropped Tanya's hand like fire and grasped the handsome mouses right arm, while her sister smiled and took the left.

* * *

Tony glanced back the way they had come, stopping in his tracks.

"Hey Tony, whatcha doing?"

"I dunno Philly, something made me look back." He searched the crowd again and seeing nothing he continued running off with Fievel towards the Water Tower.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, sorry for the wait, here it is. Chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

"May I ask your name?" Tanya politely remarked, trying to get some information on the stranger who had walked both her and her sister home, and then insisted on meeting her again. Yasha had already gone inside and nobody was due home at anytime soon.

"Dear me, I forgot to give out my name. Must have gotten distracted," his eyes caught hers and she had the feeling that she was the distraction, "my name is Henry Fisher."

"Thank you again Mr. Fisher, it was wonderful meeting a kind mouse like yourself." She held out her hand and he warmly grasped it.

"The pleasure was mine Miss Mousekewitz, and please call me Henry." He dipped down and kissed her hand before looking up into her clear blue eyes with his own emerald ones.

"Please Mr. Henry, call me Tanya." He chuckled.

"I hope to see you again Miss Tanya. Feel free to drop by the address I gave at any time. I would be delighted to get to know someone as beautiful as yourself." His eyes twinkled and she found herself smiling at his words.

"Likewise, Mr. Henry." And she waved him off as he walked away whistling. His tall form disappearing in the shadows of the sunset as his orange hair turned black.

"Tanya!" Fievel's cry snapped her from her fantasy and she glanced over to see her brother and beside him a scowling Tony. Her mouth dropped.

"Tony I thought you weren't coming to dinner."

"Never mind that Tillie, who was that guy?" He didn't look very amused, and hurriedly Tanya ushered the both of them inside.

"Yeah Tanya who was he?" Fievel pulled his hat back slightly, even after all these years it tipped over his eyes once and awhile.

"Just someone who I met at the market place, he offered to bring Yasha and I home while Mama continued shopping." She didn't see anything wrong.

"Tillie, he's a stranger! What if he was a weirdo or something?"

"But he wasn't-"

"He could've been Tanya." Fievel grasped her hand in worry.

"You never know what weirdo's would want with a lady such as yourself." They ranted but Tanya only partially heard them, he thought she was a lady. A blush tingled across her face.

"I am sorry, I didn't realize-"

"Ya think so." Tony crossed his arms and Tanya found herself scowling, he was being extremely moody.

"Don't worry I won't let her do it again." Yasha crossed her arms as she popped out from behind Tanya's skirts and Fievel patted her on the head with a smile. Tanya almost, almost face palmed. When the boys weren't looking she made a face at the traitorous little mouse who simply smiled back.

"So Tillie," her face snapped back into a smile, "whens your mum coming home?"

Yasha stepped in front of her sister and grabbed Tony's scarf, pulling his face down to look at her. "Mama's going to be home soon I think." Tanya felt her eyebrow twitch, and couldn't hold her tongue back as the words popped out of her mouth in a harsher manner than she intended

"Anyway, Tony, why are you here. I thought that you would be at Bridget's?" The taller mouse sheepishly tousled his shaggy hair and tried to avert his eyes before answering.

"Well, we got into a little fight-"

"A BIG fight." Fievel corrected him.

"-and she kicked us out-"

"And threw stuff." Fievel added.

"-the we broke up."

"And she never wants to see Tony again." Fievel nodded solemnly.

"Oh gosh, Tony I'm sor-"

"We're home!" Mama and Papa burst through the door and Tanya snatched back her hand that had unintentionally reached out for the older mouse, as she rushed to help her mother with the family plus Tony, dinner of Motzah Ball Soup.

* * *

Tanya kicked a small pebble in her path on the way to work. She had gotten over her heartbreak a long time ago and reapplied for her previous job in the newspaper business. Of course, Nellie immediately took her in as an assistant reporter, and the two had become quiet close now. Jobs were less dangerous for the pair since they had become a pair, and even Mama was less disapproving about her job. Plus the money, although small, helped to put food on the table.

"Miss Tanya!" She looked up to see the waving form of Henry Fisher walking over to join her. He walked past a pair of pretty mouse girls who ogled him as he passed by, Tanya almost blushed in embarrassment. Such a handsome mouse calling out to her, although she preferred...nope not now, can't think about Him before work or nothing will get done. She let a smile cross her face and addressed the mouse before her.

"Mr. Henry, fancy meeting you here."

"Indeed Miss Tanya. Are you on your way to work?" He fell in step with her as she hurried along her normal path to the newspaper, easily adopting a walk that made her feel as if she would never be left behind. During adventures, the boys would always scurry ahead before she could catch up, it always hurt watching His fleeing form and...there she went again. Work time, work time, work time, Tanya repeated the words in her head before answering.

"Yes and I might be late if I stop to chat, so please excuse my rudeness." Her small feet picked up the pace leaving Henry behind her, as he stood still for a moment before calling out to the petite figure.

"Tanya!"

She turned back ever so briefly.

"Can we meet again?"

She whipped around, not before giving him a curt nod. That one question had made her feel wanted, but more importantly desired. As the building she worked came into sight, the pretty little mouse walked in wondering why she was blushing so hard.

"Good day today?" The unique voice of her partner made Tanya snap out of her daze and smile.

"A good start to the day I guess."

"That's great, because I have a scoop coming on that I wouldn't do without you. Pack your pen, pad and camera Tanya because we're going somewhere special."

Tanya just smiled and nodded, Nellie's scoops were always the best. She couldn't wait to discover more about this one.


End file.
